Lighter having shroud retaining device

ABSTRACT

A lighter includes a gas container for receiving a gas fuel and having two side fences, a valve device for controlling the outward flowing gas fuel, an igniting device for igniting the gas fuel flowing out through the valve device, a shroud attached onto the fences for shielding a flame flowing out through the valve device and ignited by the igniting device. A plate is attached to the fences of the gas container and includes a notch, and the shroud includes one or more anchoring members engaged into the notch of the plate and secured to the plate for stably anchoring the shroud to the gas container and for preventing the shroud from being disengaged from the gas container particularly when the lighter is dropped onto the ground.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a lighter, and more particularly to a gas lighter including a retaining or securing device or structure for solidly attaching and coupling a shroud onto a gas container and for preventing the shroud from being easily disengaged from the gas container.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical lighters comprise a gas container for receiving a gas fuel or the like therein, a valve for controlling the outward flowing of the gas fuel, an igniting device for igniting the gas fuel flowing out of the gas container, a knob and/or a latch for being depressed or actuated by a user to operate the igniting device to selectively ignite the gas fuel, and a shroud attached onto the gas container for shielding or protecting the flame flowing out through the valve and ignited by the igniting device.

For example, the applicant has developed various kinds of similar lighters, and two of the lighters have been issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,772 to Huang, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,335 to Huang, in both of the published typical lighters, a knob and/or a latch have also been provided and attached to a gas container for being depressed or actuated by a user to operate a igniting device and to selectively ignite the gas fuel, and to actuate a valve in order to control the gas fuel to flow out of the gas container, and a shroud has also been provided and attached to the gas container for shielding or protecting the flame flowing out through the valve and ignited by the igniting device.

Normally, the shroud includes two inwardly folding flaps or ears for engaging with the gas container and for attaching the shroud onto the gas container, such that the shroud may not be solidly secured to the gas container and may have a good chance to be disengaged from the gas container particularly when the lighter is dropped onto the ground. When the shroud is disengaged from the gas container, the latch, the knob, the valve, the igniting device and the other parts or elements will be exposed and will have a good chance to be easily damaged.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional lighters.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a lighter including a retaining or securing device or structure for stably or solidly attaching and coupling the shroud onto the gas container and for preventing the shroud from being disengaged from the gas container particularly when the lighter is dropped onto the ground.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a lighter comprising a gas container for receiving a gas fuel therein and including two side fences provided on top of the gas container, a valve device disposed on top of the gas container for controlling the gas fuel to flow outwardly through the gas container, an igniting device disposed on top of the gas container for selectively igniting the gas fuel flowing out through the valve device of the gas container, a shroud disposed on top of the gas container and attached onto the fences of the gas container for shielding a flame flowing out through the valve device and ignited by the igniting device, and a plate attached to the fences of the gas container and including a notch formed therein, and the shroud includes at least one anchoring member extended therefrom and engaged into the notch of the plate and secured to the plate for stably anchoring the shroud to the gas container and for preventing the shroud from being disengaged from the gas container particularly when the lighter is dropped onto the ground.

The fences of the gas container each including a slot formed therein, and the plate includes two sides portions engaged into the slots of the fences of the gas container for attaching the plate to the fences of the gas container.

The plate includes an opening formed therein for allowing a spark generate by the igniting device to move through the opening of the plate and to ignite the gas fuel flowing out through the valve device.

The valve device includes a switch device attached thereto adjusting the outward flowing of the gas fuel. The igniting device includes a knob for being depressed by a user, and a latch coupled to the knob for controlling the gas fuel to flow out through the valve device.

The igniting device includes a spark wheel for igniting the gas fuel flowing out of the gas container. The plate includes a casing extended therefrom for defining the notch of the plate.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial exploded view of a lighter in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the lighter;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the lighter;

FIG. 4 is another partial exploded view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the other arrangement of the lighter;

FIG. 5 is a further partial exploded view of the lighter as shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of the lighter as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the lighter as shown in FIGS. 4-6;

FIG. 8 is another partial exploded view similar to FIGS. 1 and 4, illustrating the further arrangement of the lighter;

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of the lighter as shown in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the lighter as shown in FIGS. 8-9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a lighter in accordance with the present invention comprises a gas container 10 for receiving a gas fuel or the like therein, the gas container 10 includes a pair of parallel or side fences 11, 12 extended upwardly from the top of the gas container 10 or provided on top of the gas container 10, a typical nozzle or valve device 20 is also disposed on top of the gas container 10 for controlling the gas fuel to flow outwardly from or through the gas container 10, a knob or switch device 21 is attached or coupled to the valve device 20 for adjusting the outward flowing quantity or speed of the gas fuel. An igniting device 30 is also provided and disposed on top of the gas container 10 for selectively igniting the gas fuel flowing out through the valve device 20 of the gas container 10.

For example, the igniting device 30 also includes a knob 31 and a latch 32 for being depressed or actuated by a user to operate the valve device 20 and to control the gas fuel to flow out through the valve device 20, and a spark wheel 33 for engaging with a typical flint (not shown) and for igniting the gas fuel flowing out of the gas container 10. A shroud 40 is also provided and disposed on top of the gas container 10 and/or attached onto the fences 11, 12 of the gas container 10 for shielding or protecting the flame flowing out through the valve device 20 and ignited by the igniting device 30. The shroud 40 also includes two inwardly folding ears 41 for engaging with the corresponding indentations 13 of the fences 11, 12 of the gas container 10 and for attaching the shroud 40 onto the gas container 10.

The shroud 40 also includes an aperture 42 formed in the upper portion 43 thereof through which a flame emanates, and includes a peripheral flange or wall 44 provided around the aperture 42 of the shroud 40 for forming or defining the aperture 42 of the shroud 40. The above-described shroud 40 is typical and attached or coupled to the fences 11, 12 of the gas container 10 with only the two inwardly folding ears 41 of the shroud 40 such that the shroud 40 may not be solidly secured to the gas container 10 and may have a good chance to be disengaged from the gas container particularly when the lighter is dropped onto the ground. When the shroud 40 is disengaged from the gas container 10, the latch 32, the knob 31, the valve device 20, the igniting device 30 and the other parts or elements will be exposed and will have a good chance to be easily damaged. The above-described structure for the lighter is typical and will not be described in further details.

The lighter in accordance with the present invention further includes a slot 22 formed in each of the fences 11, 12 of the gas container 10, a partition or plate 50 having two sides or end portions 51 engaged into the slots 22 of the fences 11, 12 of the gas container 10 for attaching or securing the plate 50 to the fences 11, 12 of the gas container 10. The plate 50 is preferably disposed or located between the valve device 20 and the spark wheel 33 and includes an opening 52 formed therein, such as formed in the lower portion thereof for allowing the sparks generate by the spark wheel 33 and the flint (not shown) to move or to go through the opening 52 of the plate 50 and to ignite the gas fuel flowing out through the valve device 20. The plate 50 may be solidly secured to the fences 11, 12 of the gas container 10 with such as rivets, latches or fasteners (not shown), adhesive materials, or by welding processes.

The plate 50 further includes a notch 53 formed therein, such as formed in the upper portion thereof. The shroud 40 further includes one or more anchoring members 45, such as two flaps 45 bent or extended from the peripheral wall 44 of the shroud 40 and engaged into the notch 53 of the plate 50 and solidly secured to the plate 50 with such as rivets, latches or fasteners (not shown), adhesive materials, or by welding processes for allowing the shroud 40 to be solidly secured to the fences 11, 12 of the gas container 10 and/or the plate 50 and to prevent the shroud 40 from being disengaged from the gas container 10 particularly when the lighter is dropped onto the ground.

Referring next to FIGS. 4-7, illustrated is another arrangement of the lighter which also includes a gas container 10 for receiving a gas fuel or the like therein, a valve device 20 disposed on top of the gas container 10 for controlling the gas fuel to flow outwardly from or through the gas container 10, a switch device 21 attached or coupled to the valve device 20 for adjusting the outward flowing quantity or speed of the gas fuel, an igniting device 30 provided and disposed on top of the gas container 10 for selectively igniting the gas fuel flowing out through the valve device 20 of the gas container 10, a knob 31 and a latch 32 for being depressed or actuated by a user to operate the valve device 20, a shroud 40 provided and disposed on top of the gas container 10 for shielding or protecting the flame.

The shroud 40 also includes an aperture 42 formed in the upper portion 43 and defined by a peripheral flange or wall 44, and one or more anchoring members 45, such as two flaps 45 bent or extended from the peripheral wall 44 of the shroud 40 and engaged into the notch 53 of the plate 50 and solidly secured to the plate 50. The difference is that the plate 50 further includes a casing 54 extended from the plate 50 for forming or defining the notch 53 of the plate 50 and for stably receiving or retaining the flaps 45 or the anchoring members 45 of the shroud 40 and thus for further stably anchoring the shroud 40 to the plate 50 and the gas container 10. The igniting device 30 may be a piezoelectric igniting device 30 having an igniting electrode 35 extended through an orifice 55 of the plate 50 for igniting the gas fuel flowing out of the valve device 20 of the gas container 10.

Referring next to FIGS. 8-10, illustrated is a further arrangement of the lighter which also includes a gas container 10 for receiving a gas fuel or the like therein, a valve device 20 disposed on top of the gas container 10 for controlling the gas fuel to flow outwardly from or through the gas container 10, an igniting device 30 provided and disposed on top of the gas container 10 for selectively igniting the gas fuel flowing out through the valve device 20 of the gas container 10, a knob 31 for being depressed or actuated by a user to operate the valve device 20, a shroud 40 provided and disposed on top of the gas container 10 for shielding or protecting the flame. The shroud 40 also includes an aperture 42 formed in the upper portion 43 and defined by a peripheral flange or wall 44, and one or more anchoring members 45, such as two flaps 45 bent or extended from the peripheral wall 44 of the shroud 40 and engaged into the notch 53 of the plate 50 and solidly secured to the plate 50.

The plate 50 also includes a casing 54 extended from the plate 50 for forming or defining the notch 53 of the plate 50 and for stably receiving or retaining the flaps 45 or the anchoring members 45 of the shroud 40 and thus for further stably anchoring the shroud 40 to the plate 50 and the gas container 10. The difference is that the sides or end portions 51 of the plate 50 may include a relatively reduced size or height or length or dimension or volume for engaging into the corresponding narrower or reduced cavities 14 of the fences 11, 12 of the gas container 10 and for stably anchoring or securing the plate 50 to the fences 11, 12 of the gas container 10, and also for preventing the shroud 40 from being easily disengaged from the gas container 10.

Accordingly, the lighter in accordance with the present invention includes a retaining or securing device or structure for solidly attaching and coupling the shroud onto the gas container and for preventing the shroud from being easily disengaged from the gas container particularly when the lighter is dropped onto the ground.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. A lighter comprising: a gas container for receiving a gas fuel therein and including two side fences provided on top of said gas container, a valve device disposed on top of said gas container for controlling the gas fuel to flow outwardly through said gas container, an igniting device disposed on top of said gas container for selectively igniting the gas fuel flowing out through said valve device of said gas container, a shroud disposed on top of said gas container and attached onto said fences of said gas container for shielding a flame flowing out through said valve device and ignited by said igniting device, and a plate attached to said fences of said gas container and including a notch formed therein, and said shroud including at least one anchoring member extended therefrom and engaged into said notch of said plate and secured to said plate for stably anchoring said shroud to said gas container.
 2. The lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fences of said gas container each including a slot formed therein, and said plate includes two sides portions engaged into said slots of said fences of said gas container for attaching said plate to said fences of said gas container.
 3. The lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plate includes an opening formed therein for allowing a spark generate by said igniting device to move through said opening of said plate and to ignite the gas fuel flowing out through said valve device.
 4. The lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said valve device includes a switch device attached thereto adjusting the outward flowing of the gas fuel.
 5. The lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said igniting device includes a knob for being depressed by a user, and a latch for controlling the gas fuel to flow out through said valve device.
 6. The lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said igniting device includes a spark wheel for igniting the gas fuel flowing out of said gas container.
 7. The lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plate includes a casing extended therefrom for defining said notch of said plate. 